From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> God's Work Ministry E-Mail
Dear Friend, The joy of youth is something that can never be replaced or forgotten. We are to enjoy these days that we are living in to the best of our ability because sooner than we realize, we will all be grown up and moved forward with our lives. Our memory of youth is the only thing that can bring back the childhood fun and laughter that was prominent in those days. (Psalm 118:24) We who are older now should make it a point to create joyful memories with those younger than we are and provide for them the jewels of enjoyment that will be thought upon in their later years. Be encouraged to lead a joyful and fun existence leading others with your light and showing them the good things that God has given to those who love Him. (James 3:13) (James 1:17) I hope this simple message encourages your heart to continually create memories with your loved ones that will be remembered and thought upon far longer than you could have ever imagined. THE PUMPKIN PATCH Years ago when the girls were small, besides the trick or treating of Halloween, a highlight in October was visiting the pumpkin patch. We usually saved this special outing for the Saturday before Halloween. If memory serves me correctly each year the weather cooperated with sunny skies and fairly warm temperatures. Some years the crisp, cool air of autumn gave us reason to wrap sweaters around our waists, just in case. It was quite a long ride out to the pumpkin patch. The girls would get anxious repeating a familiar phrase, "Are we there yet?" Outside the city and a ways past the suburbs we'd drive until we were out in the country and there we'd find the spectacular farm all decorated for the harvest season. Huge scarecrows could be seen everywhere, greeting young and old alike. A barn converted into a craft store for the occasion had all you could want for the fall festivities. Caramel apples covered in peanuts to sink your teeth into, cider to sip, and popcorn balls to crunch. No trip to the pumpkin patch would be complete without a good old fashioned hay ride. The farmer's tractor pulled the long, wooden seated vehicle out into the middle of the patch as the children sang songs. The ride was bumpy, the songs were severely off key, but the giggle of happy children always made for a joyful ride. When we reached our destination the kids were instructed to only pick a pumpkin they were able to carry. Of course it never failed - Bill and I would each be lugging an oversized Jack-O-Lantern back to where the tractor waited. I fondly remember all the fun on a far away piece of farmland where the weather signaled the end of summer and the beginning of frost filled nights. The other day Bill and I took a ride that found us passing the same place we picked pumpkins with the kids. Sadly, we witnessed its demise with no signs of the traditional Halloween happenings. Apparently the farmland has been gone for a long time. It is now a sub- division with clusters of homes scattered all around the area. The only trace of hay, apple cider and friendly faced scarecrows to welcome us are in the memories of two aging parents and their now grown daughters. These days we purchase our pumpkins at the local grocery store. Lately we have resorted to painting on smiling faces in stead of carving them. They are quite smaller than the gargantuan gourds our children use to choose. Autumn is a special time of caring and sharing. It's a time to be thankful for the harvest that we reap, both nutritional and spiritual. In the harvest of our lives I am grateful for the bounty of love and memories that are mine to forever cherish. By Kathy Whirity Read and meditate on these scriptures: Isaiah 61:10-11 "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." Galatians 5:22-26 "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Psalm 25:4-7 "Shew me Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O LORD, Thy tender mercies and Thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness' sake, O LORD." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: WORDS TO LIVE BY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem180.htm Today's Selected Testimony: THE SPARROW Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony56.htm ================================================ God's Work Ministry E-Mail Dear Friend, We should never take for granted this day that God has given us. Many times we look at life with a pessimistic point of view and focus only on the negative that is in our life. We focus on or complain about our body aching, our bills being due, our misbehaved children and the list can go on and on. Instead of complaining about such issues, we should be thankful that we are alive, thankful that we have a home to live in, thankful that we have been blessed to have children. We are to see the good in our lives and praise God for every gift and blessing that He has bestowed upon us. It is in giving thanks that our burden becomes lighter and our appreciation becomes more evident. Be encouraged to live each day to the fullest enjoying every gift that you have been given. Put on the countenance of joy and peace and be determined to bless God with your words of praise and thanksgiving. (James 4:13-15) (Philippians 4:11) (Proverbs 15:13-17) I hope this message encourages your heart to never be pessimistic about your life, but rather gird yourself up with confidence knowing that if God has been with you in the past than He is sure to be with you in this present time to meet your every need. I LEARNED TO LIVE "You know I almost died once," he said. "Really? What happened?" I asked. "Nothing!" he said. "Except I learned to live." We create what we want in our lives. I am sure you've heard it all before. "What you think about the most manifests in your life." "You reap what you sow." "If you believe it you can achieve it." Out of all the principles of success and happiness, that one singular concept is the absolute truth. It is the key to all success in life. But it can also be the key to failure and even death. Pete is a friend of mine. One of those people you call "friend" but you really don't know everything about them. Just when you think you have him figured out, he tells you something completely surprising. Something even brilliant. "Did I ever tell you about the time I thought I was going to die?" he asked. "No, I don't think I heard that one," I replied. "In reality I almost caused my death. You see I went through a period in my life when it seemed everything went wrong physically. It seemed to be one thing after another. Some of the things were identifiable. The doctor knew just what to do and he did it. But he had "concerns", as he put it. It was those concerns that nearly killed me," he said. Pete is one of those people who are rarely serious. I mean, it's not that he tells jokes all the time, he's just happy. So hearing and seeing this side really caught my attention. "Bob, I went through a series of tests that started me on a down hill slide. One after another revealed more and more possibilities. It was like when you take your car in because you hear a noise and the mechanic tells you, 'It could be any number of things. It could cost you fifty bucks or we may need to drop your engine. Now you're talkin' big bucks.' What is it that always happens? It costs you big bucks." "Boy I can relate to that," I told him. "Well, because of that belief system, the facts were staring me in the face. This was the end of my life," he said. "What do you think happened to me? My whole world came to a halt. I became depressed. The world looked dark and gloomy. The more I thought that way, the more it became a reality. I was in fact creating the world I imagined. I became so physically sick and mentally depressed thinking that I was going to die, that I was in fact dying. My body suffered terribly. So much so that I ended up in the hospital malnourished and depressed." "So what changed you? What did you do to turn things around?" I asked. "A young man. A teen who had been in a car accident. He must have had every bone in his body broken. His face was so badly damaged that they operated on him at least a dozen times. When I was in the hospital I met him. One day he asked me what was wrong with me and I couldn't explain it. I kept saying "they aren't sure." He said, "Well that's stupid. How can you fix something that isn't broken? Now me, I had a lot of fixing 'cause everything was broken. The only thing that wasn't broken was my will to live." Pete stopped for a moment and just looked around. "That's what was broken on me. My will to live. I had chosen to believe that I was dying and so I created it. I made it a reality. It was the one thing that all the doctors in the world couldn't fix. It was the one thing, the ultimate thing, that only I was in control of. It was the answer." "So what happened to this young man?" I asked. "He went on to college, graduated and owns his own company. He teaches safety in the work place to large corporations around the world. And from what I understand he tells his story to high school students as a way of giving something back." "And you my friend? How did you ever pull out of it?" I asked. "I willed it to be so. The very next day I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom and had a good talk with the guy I knew was inside. We both agreed that life was too precious to waste. I made up this phrase and hung it every where I lived." He reached in his wallet and handed me a note that read: "Today I take control of my life. I will permit nothing to interfere with my full enjoyment of each and every moment that God has granted me. I am deserving of all the joy and happiness that this day has to offer. There is nothing that God and I can't accomplish. I will nourish my body with the best and purest food. I will nourish my mind with nothing but the most positive thoughts. I will feed my soul the Word of God and know that when my time on this earth is over I will have lived purely, fully and faithfully." So what life have you created? Are you living fully or dying slowly? Begin to live again. Take control of your life. "The only thing that wasn't broken was my will to live!" he said. "Learn to Live!" By Bob Perks Read and meditate on these scriptures: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Psalm 34:1-5 "I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed." Psalm 37:3-6 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: TEN RULES FOR A HAPPY DAY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem133.htm Today's Selected Testimony: GOD IS FAITHFUL Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony118.htm In Christ's Service, Dwayne Savaya God's Work Ministry Please feel free to visit the Website to read more Encouraging and Inspirational stories, poems and testimonies. Our E-mail Archives are available as well to read the messages that have been sent in the past. You can now hear our stories and poems right on our website. Volume One contains 15 messages that can be heard and enjoyed at Godswork.org. To hear our messages, please click on this link: http://www.Godswork.org/Audio.htm You can also send Free E-cards to friends and loved ones with the many choices available. You are also welcome to post your prayer requests in our Prayer Forum. All this and more available at --- http://www.Godswork.org You can also send prayer requests to --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Add your E-mail address if you'd like correspondence with the prayer partners.
